Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-05-05
CHARITABLE Mr.. sowsER.
his Unfortunate Experience rs n Benefac-
tor and Dispenser OF Charity.

impression that Mr. Bowser is not O
good-hearted man. Such an idea
would do him great injustice. He is a
little queer in some of his ways, but all
right as whole, and more tender
hearted man never lived. When we
began housekeeping and got our first
hired girl, Mr.. Bowser called me into
the library, shut the door and dropped
his voice down to the confidential pitch
and said:
"Mrs. Bowser, let's start out right.
Let's respect the feelings of that poor
girl IN the kitchen"
Certainly
"She's just as good as we are, and
we mustn't put on any airs over her.
She shall eat at the table with us, and
if she has any time from her work you
might learn her how to sing and play
the piano"
Il can't quite agree with you, Mr..
Bowser." trl
"Oh, you can't! Woman's mortal
enemy is woman. Well. Pm going
out and have little talk with Eliza
and tell her what I'm willing to do"
listened at the kitchen door. Mr..
Bowser is no man to beat about the
bush. He went right at the business in
hand by saying:
ELIZA, nobility does not consist in
riches"
She slid away from him toward the
sink.
''You are not to blame for being in
your present position. How would you
like to take singing lessonsp"
She looked at him with open mouth.
"And learn to play the piano?"
She opened her mouth still wider.
"And perhaps, learn how to sketch
and paintP"
She seized pan of water in the sink
and whirled on him with:
"You internal cross-eyed old repro
bate, to talk to an innocent girl in that
fashion! Get out of my kitchen or I'll
drown you in a minute''
When we sat down to supper
wondered why Eliza hadn't put on a
pate for herself, and asked Mr.. Bowser
when should begin her piano lessons.
"Mrs. Bowser, have you lost the lit
tie sense you possessed two or three
months ago?" he hotly exclaimed, and
thought it best to let the subject drop
right there.
A few days after that boy about
eight years old came to the door to beg,
and as soon as Mr.. Bowser caught
sight of him he observed:
Call the little shaver in and let him
see that the milk of human kindness
has not al dried-up. Now give him {
good breelxfast. Il x -r,--s. r,-ss-......
The cook stuffed him until he coult
eat no more, and then Mr.. Bowsel
brought him into the sitting-room and
cut his hair, washed the little ones
face with his own hands, and was going
to call the cook in to wash his feet
when protested:
'Now, Mr.. Bowscr that is going toc
far. We don't keep q county house
here"
Don't we? l wouldn't have YOU,
mean spirit for all the money il
America! 1t is just such people as yor
who have added to the woes of pov
erty and the wickedness of the world. )
"But we can't make such fuss ovel
every beggar that comes along"
"Nobody expects you to. You ar,
expected to stand in the door with
crowbar and brain every poor unfort
innate who stops to ask for q mouth
full of food. shall go home with thi:
boy. / want to have u talk with hi.
father, and it may end in my adoptin,
him."
MIR. Bowser led the boy away, and i
seemed, as afterwards came to know
went home with him. When he left TIL,
boys house man was chasing hin
with shovel, and woman with hoe
handle was trying to head him of, and
the boy himself stood in the door and
clapped his hands. When Mr.. Bowsel
came home l asked what had become OF
his adopted son, and he roared at me:
"None of your business! II / had
your spirit I'd expect to be struck by
lightingr'
When we got our horse we got q col
ored man to take care of him, and a
their first interview heard Mr.. Bowscl
say to him:
"Now, Mr.. Johnson, you are not t
blame for either your color or you
lack Of education. You have not hat
show. Take that barn and manag,
it according to your own Judgment
I've got a suit Of clothes in tho hous,
for you, and there are plenty Of book
in the library"
| Mr.. johnson took ten books from tn
library the first day Of his arrival. Oh
the second day he disappeared. s.
did the books, so did the harness an
robes and q lot Of tools. Mr.. Bowse
was furious. He wanted ten detective
on the case all at once, and as h
started to telephone for them / said:
| Perhaps he has retired to q cav
with the ten books to enrich his mind.
"And perhaps ] amt the bigges
idiot in the State Of Michigan for maj
rying you'll" he shouted back as h
| ground away at the crank and LITE
the chief Of police Off his chair ID
froit Free Press. "
| The Montreal Gazette tells of SON